FAQs

Q. Am I eligible to receive vaccines from the ASN Program?A. You are eligible to receive ASN Program vaccines if

You are 19 years of age or older, and

You do not have health insurance.

Q. Who is not eligible to receive ASN Program vaccines?A. Individuals who do not qualify for ASN Program vaccines include

Adults who have Medicare, Medicaid, or any other insurance, including private insurance

Adults who are underinsured for adult vaccines (e.g., those who have healthcare insurance that does not cover adult vaccines)

Individuals younger than 19 years of age

Q. What vaccines are offered through the ASN Program?A. The following is a list of the vaccines currently offered through the ASN Program and a description of the diseases they prevent.

Hepatitis B vaccine:Prevents infection of the liver by the hepatitis B virus, which can lead to liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure, and death.

Hepatitis A vaccine:Prevents infection of the liver by the hepatitis A virus. Symptoms of hepatitis A include lack of energy, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and jaundice (yellow color to the whites of the eyes or skin).

Combination hepatitis A-hepatitis B vaccine—see above.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine:Prevents infection from several strains of HPV, including those that cause gential warts and several types of cancer, such as cervical, anal, penile, and throat cancer.

Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine:Prevents infection from the measles virus, which can lead to rash, ear infection, brain damage, and death. Prevents infection from the mumps virus, which can cause fever, swollen glands, headache, and can lead to deafness and meningitis. Prevents infection from rubella virus, which can cause rash, arthritis, and miscarriage in pregnant women.

Meningococcal vaccine:Prevents infection by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, which can cause a potentially severe illness known as meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord). It can also cause pneumonia, arthritis, and ear/throat infections. Meningococcal disease can result in hearing loss, nervous system problems, seizures, strokes, loss of limbs (arms, legs) and even death.

Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13):Prevents infection by the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacterium, which is one of the most common causes of severe pneumonia and can lead to other types of infections, such as ear infections, sinus infections, meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord), and blood stream infections (bacteremia).

Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine:Prevents tetanus, which can cause muscle spasms, lockjaw, paralysis, and death. Prevents diphtheria, which can cause suffocation and heart failure. Prevents pertussis (known as "whooping cough"), which can cause severe coughing that can lead to rib fractures, pneumonia, and death. The CDC recommends* one dose for all pregnant women during every pregnancy and all other adults who have not yet received Tdap vaccination, especially those who come in contact with infants.

Tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine:Similar to Tdap vaccine (see above), but protects against tetanus and diphtheria only, without the pertussis component.

Varicella vaccine:Prevents infection by the virus that causes varicella (chickenpox). Chickenpox is an acute infection that causes a generalized rash, itching, fever and fatigue. It can lead to severe skin infections, scars, pneumonia, brain damage and death. Once infected, the Varicella virus can return later in life as shingles.

Zoster vaccine:Reduces the risk of developing shingles and the long-term pain caused by shingles. Shingles is a painful skin rash caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Shingles can lead to pneumonia, hearing problems, blindness, brain inflammation (encephalitis) or death. Anyone 60 years of age or older should get the shingles vaccine, regardless of whether or not they recall having chickenpox. Even if you’ve had shingles, you can still receive the shingles vaccine to help prevent future occurrences of the disease.

Q. Do I need any of the vaccines offered?A. Adults, just like children and teens, need vaccines to stay healthy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends adults get vaccinated with certain vaccines. Below are resources to help you determine what vaccines you may need.*

Q. If I qualify for ASN Program vaccine, do I have to pay anything?A. ASN Program vaccines are supplied to participating medical providers at no cost. This means that ASN Program providers cannot charge a fee for the vaccine itself. However, providers are allowed to charge an administration fee of up to $25 for each vaccine that is administered. Although ASN Program providers may charge this administration fee, they cannot deny the vaccine because of an inability to pay it.

Q. Where can I go to get ASN Program vaccines?A. Visit one of our search pages to locate an ASN Program clinic near you. (Please check with the clinic before visiting to make sure they can see you.)